Sheet cassette

Abstract

To provide a sheet cassette allowing for handling an extension tray with one hand.SOLUTION: A sheet cassette 10 includes a sheet tray 11 and an extension tray 20 for extending a length in a paper-feed direction of the sheet tray 11. The sheet tray 11 and the extension tray 20 each have a locking unit 26 for fixing and locking the extension tray 20 in position at a plurality of points. The locking unit 26 includes grooves 17a, 17b provided on the sheet tray 11 and lock claws 26b, 26c provided on the extension tray 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a paper feed cassette.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in a small A4 machine which is an image forming apparatus with a paper size of A4 or less, in order to be able to process paper of a size larger than A4 as a paper feed tray, an extension tray method has generally been adopted. Such a paper feed cassette of the extension tray method is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-124236 (Patent Document 1). According to the publication, the paper feed cassette includes a main body to be attached to the image forming apparatus, and a slider attached to the main body so as to be telescopically slidable. The main body is provided with a pair of locking claws arranged at a distance that can be pinched with one hand, and when pinched, the mutual distance is reduced, and when not pinched, the mutual distance expands, and an engaging portion provided on the slider, which engages with and disengages from the locking claws and prevents the slider from sliding when engaged with the locking claws. A pair of cantilever-shaped arms are integrally provided with the bottom plate of the main body, and locking claws with a grip are integrally formed at the tip ends of the arms.

[0003] As a result, the telescopic operation of the paper feed cassette can be easily performed, and the slider is configured not to telescope even when the slider is held when attaching and detaching the paper feed cassette to and from the image forming apparatus.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The conventional paper feeding cassette with an extension tray was configured as described above. In the paper feeding cassette disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is a paper feeding cassette capable of telescopic movement by pulling out a slider from the paper feeding cassette main body. Locking claws are arranged at the tips of a pair of arms placed at a distance that can be grasped with one hand, and a mechanism is provided on the main body that releases the lock when grasped. In the paper feeding cassette disclosed in Patent Document 1, even when operating a pair of arms having locking claws, the slider needs to be pulled out with the hand different from the hand grasping the arms, and there was a problem that the extension tray could not be operated with only one hand.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a paper feeding cassette that enables the operation of the extension tray with one hand.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The paper feeding cassette according to the present disclosure includes a paper feeding tray and an extension tray that extends the length of the paper feeding tray in the paper feeding direction. The paper feeding tray and the extension tray each have a locking operation portion for fixing and locking the position of the extension tray at a plurality of locations. The locking operation portion includes a groove portion provided on the paper feeding tray and a locking claw provided on the extension tray.

[0008] Preferably, the locking claw has a pair of arm portions that can be grasped with one hand. The pair of arm portions are arranged in the vicinity of the pulling-out direction of the paper feeding cassette. The extension tray has a standing wall portion in the vicinity of the pair of arm portions, and the standing wall portion has a shape that can be grasped by hand.

[0009] More preferably, the pair of arm portions are arranged at substantially the center of the extension tray.

[0010] The dimension between the pair of arm portions when the pair of arm portions are grasped with a finger may be smaller than the dimension between the pair of arm portions at the mounting position of the pair of arm portions.

Effects of the Invention

[0011] According to the present disclosure, the extension tray can be moved relative to the paper feed tray by operating a lock claw provided on the extension tray that engages with a groove provided on the paper feed tray.

[0012] As a result, it is possible to provide a paper feed cassette that allows the extension tray to be operated with one hand.

[0013] The above object, other objects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the detailed description of the embodiments described below with reference to the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Figure 2A

Figure 2B

Figure 2C

Figure 2D

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a paper feed cassette according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 1, a paper feed cassette 10 detachably attached to an image forming apparatus (not shown) includes a paper feed tray 11 and an extension tray 20 pulled out as an extension portion with respect to the paper feed tray 11. Here, the extension tray 20 moves leftward in the drawing on an extension portion (guide plate 15, see FIG. 2A) of the paper feed tray 11.

[0016] The paper feed tray 11 has a bottom plate 12, left and right side plates 13a and 13b, and a back plate 14 connecting the left and right side plates 13a and 13b, and these parts are integrally formed of synthetic resin. The extension tray 20 has a bottom plate 21, left and right side plates 22a and 22b, and a standing wall portion 23 connecting the left and right side plates 22a and 22b, and these parts are integrally formed of synthetic resin. The left and right side plates 22a and 22b of the extension tray 20 are slidably inserted into the side plates 13a and 13b of the paper feed tray 11, and the bottom plate 21 is guided by the lower surface of the bottom plate 12 of the paper feed tray 11 and is slidable. A handle (not shown) is provided on the standing wall portion 23.

[0017] A lock operation portion 26 is provided near the paper feed tray 11 of the extension tray 20 and near one side plate 22b. By operating the lock operation portion 26, the extension tray 20 can be pulled out and deployed from the paper feed tray 11.

[0018] FIG. 2A is a plan view showing a state in which the extension tray 20 is deployed from the paper feed tray 11 by operating the lock operation unit 26 in FIG. 1. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by arrow 2B-2B in FIG. 2A (a portion passing through the center of the spring 29a to be described later and extending in the pulling-out direction of the extension tray 20), FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by arrow 2C-2C in FIG. 2A (the central portion of the lock operation unit 26), and FIG. 2D is a cross-sectional view of a portion indicated by arrow 2D-2D in FIG. 2A (a portion passing through the centers of the springs 29a and 29b to be described later). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2A, the lock operation unit 26 is provided on the extension tray 20 side of the paper feed tray 11.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2D, a guide plate 15 that enters below the bottom plate 21 of the extension tray 20 is provided on the bottom plate 12 of the paper feed tray 11, and the upper surface of this guide plate 15 guides the bottom plate 21 of the extension tray 20.

[0020] Also, in this embodiment, a pair of springs 29a and 29b for lifting a rotation plate (not shown) that lifts the back plate 14 side to feed paper (not shown) of the paper feed cassette 10 having the extension tray 20 are also shown.

[0021] Next, the lock operation unit 26 will be described. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the lock operation unit 26 when the extension tray 20 is stored. Here, the orientation in FIG. 3 is such that FIG. 1 is reversed, the paper feed tray 11 is located on the upper left side, and the extension tray 20 provided with the lock operation unit 26 shown surrounded by a dotted line in the figure is located on the lower right side.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 3, the lock operation unit 26 is provided on the extension tray 20. In the lock operation unit 26, the extension tray 20 is provided with a through hole, and a beam-like portion provided at the center of the through hole in the extending direction of the extension tray 20, and two protruding portions that project horizontally away from each other from the beam-like portion, with their tips directed in the extending direction of the extension tray 20, and a part of which operates as a locking claw are provided. The beam-like portion and the two protruding portions are configured to contact a guide member having a groove portion provided on the paper feed tray 11 that extends downward in the height direction of the extension tray 20 and is located below the beam-like portion and these protruding portions. The guide member having this groove portion will be described later.

[0023] The lock operation unit 26 has a wide beam-like portion 26a provided at the center, and two narrow protruding portions provided with a space therebetween so as to sandwich the wide beam-like portion 26a, and these two protruding portions form an arm-like shape. A part of the two narrow protruding portions operates as a locking claw. Therefore, hereinafter, the two narrow protruding portions will be referred to as locking claws 26b and 26c.

[0024] Note that the plan view of the lock operation unit 26 on the extension tray 20 is shown in FIG. 2A, and its cross-sectional view is shown in FIG. 2C.

[0025] [First Embodiment] Further, the locking claws 26b and 26c face each other in the horizontal direction at substantially the center and have recesses that are close to each other, and that portion constitutes a pair of operation portions 27a and 27b. Thereby, the pair of operation portions 27a and 27b can insert two fingers of one hand, for example, the thumb and the index finger, outside the locking claws 26b and 26c, and can be easily pinched with these two fingers.

[0026] [Second Embodiment] Note that the pair of operation portions 27a and 27b are arranged at the center of the extension tray 20, thereby facilitating the operation of the lock operation unit 26 with either the left or right hand.

[0027] When the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b are pinched with fingers, the dimension between the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b is smaller than the dimension at the mounting positions of the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b. As a result, by pinching the lock claws 26b and 26c as indicated by the dotted arrow in FIG. 3, the interval between the lock claws 26b and 26c becomes narrower and the lock is released.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the user has pinched the pair of lock claws 26b and 26c of the lock operation part 26 in order to deploy the extension tray 20 while the extension tray 20 is stored. From this state, when pulling while pinching the lock claws 26b and 26c in the direction indicated by the dotted arrow in the figure, the extension tray 20 is deployed.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a view showing a state in which the user has operated the lock operation part 26 to deploy the extension tray 20 from the state shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 5, the user is pinching the operation parts 27a and 27b of the pair of lock claws 26b and 26c with the thumb and index finger. From this state, when pushing in while pinching the operation parts 27a and 27b of the pair of lock claws 26b and 26c in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure, the extension tray 20 is stored and returns to the state of FIG. 4.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 5, on the guide plate 15 of the paper feed tray 11, there are provided a pair of guide members 16a and 16b for guiding the lock claws 26b and 26c of the extension tray 20 in the pulling-out direction of the extension tray 20, and groove parts 17a and 17b that engage with the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b in a state where they cannot be pinched.

[0031] In this way, the lock operation part 26 can lock and fix the positions of the paper feed tray 11 and the extension tray 20 at two locations, namely, the position when the extension tray 20 is stored as shown in FIG. 4 and the position when the extension tray 20 is deployed as shown in FIG. 5.

[0032] Note that the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b are biased so that the dimension therebetween expands. Accordingly, when moving the extension tray 20, the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b that are biased to expand move while remaining in contact with the guide members 16a and 16b, and when moving to the deployed position or the stored position, they engage with the groove parts 17a and 17b.

[0033] Next, a method of operating the extension tray 20 with one hand in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining the operation when deploying the extension tray 20 with one hand, and FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation when storing the extension tray 20 with one hand.

[0034] The extension tray 20 has a standing wall part 23 near the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b, and the standing wall part 23 includes a handle part 24 having a handle shape on which the palm of one hand can be placed. The handle part 24 has a height from the bottom plate such that the palm or the wrist can come into contact when the thumb and index finger are placed on the operation parts 27a and 27b, and it is preferable that a recess is provided or the corners are rounded so that contact with the palm or the wrist does not cause pain or discomfort to the operator.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 6, when the extension tray 20 is stored, the distance (the distance indicated by the arrow in the figure) between the lock operation part 26 shown surrounded by the dotted line in the figure and the handle part 24 provided on the standing wall part 23 of the extension tray 20 is such that it is neither too close nor too far (about 6 to 7 cm), enabling the extension tray 20 to be pulled out with one hand.

[0036] On the other hand, referring to FIG. 7, when unlocking the lock operation part 26 and storing the extension tray 20 in the paper feed tray 11, the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b are pinched and pushed in. In the state where the pair of operation parts 27a and 27b are pinched, the interval between the lock claws 26b and 26c is wider in the pushing-in direction than the interval between the operation parts 27a and 27b. That is, a catch in the pushing-in direction of the two fingers is formed, enabling the extension tray 20 to be stored with one hand using the two fingers.

[0037] The present disclosure can be implemented in various other forms without departing from its spirit or main features. Therefore, the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative and should not be construed in a limiting sense. Modifications and changes belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims of the present disclosure are all within the scope of the present disclosure.

Industrial Applicability

[0038] According to the present disclosure, since a paper feed cassette that enables the operation of the extension tray with one hand can be provided, it is useful as a paper feed cassette.

Explanation of Signs

[0039] 10 Paper feed cassette 11 Paper feed tray 12 Bottom plate 13a, 13b Side plates 14 Rear plate 15 Guide plate 16a, 16b Guide members 17a, 17b Groove portions 20 Extension tray 21 Bottom plate 22a, 22b Side plates 23 Upright wall portion 24 Handle portion 26 Lock operation portion 26a Beam-like portion 26b, 26c Lock claws 27a, 27b Operation portions 29a, 29b Springs

Claims

1. A paper feed cassette including a paper feed tray and an extension tray that extends the length of the paper feed tray in the paper feed direction, wherein the paper feed tray and the extension tray each have a locking operation portion for fixing and locking the position of the extension tray at a plurality of locations, and the locking operation portion includes a groove portion provided in the paper feed tray and a locking claw provided in the extension tray, the paper feed cassette.

2. The locking claw has a pair of arm portions that can be pinched with one hand, the pair of arm portions are arranged in the vicinity of the pulling-out direction of the paper feed cassette, the extension tray has a standing wall portion in the vicinity of the pair of arm portions, and the standing wall portion has a hand-hold shape, the paper feed cassette according to claim 1.

3. The pair of arm portions are arranged at a substantially central portion of the extension tray, the paper feed cassette according to claim 2.

4. The dimension between the pair of arm portions when the pair of arm portions are pinched with a finger is smaller than the dimension between the pair of arm portions at the mounting position of the pair of arm portions, the paper feed cassette according to claim 2.

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